Using Your Fleets
It's not enough just to build a lot of powerful units. Now you need to assemble them into fleets that will become reliable instruments of conquest . . .
- Specialize fleets for certain tasks: By organizing your fleets wisely, you can create fast attack fleets, large transport convoys, or heavy assault teams.
- Use cannon-fodder: Even the most formidable unit can be destroyed if it takes enough hits. Eventually, one of your enemies will get lucky. By escorting your big capital ships with lots of little "fodder" units, you will decrease the chance that your best forces will be destroyed needlessly.
- Send a big enough force to do the job: A common beginner mistake is to economize on fleet size. This can lead to the disaster of having your invasion fleet destroyed by a Nobody world! However, even a victory can be too costly if your attacking fleet wasn't big enough to earn a quick victory. Every round your foes get to shoot at you is a round in which they can do more damage. The faster you can wipe them out, the better off you are! So when you send an invasion fleet . . . think as big as you can.
- Use fleet speeds to your advantage: When launching a multi-fleet attack, be sure to coordinate their speeds so they arrive and attack at the same time. You can use fleets of different speeds for time-on-target attacks, launching in different turns so they all arrive at the same time. Remember, even the fastest MegaBot will have to wait for a Cargo Booster if they're in the same fleet!
- Don't spread yourself too thin: To ensure the security of your worlds, keep some forces in reserve. You don't want to tie up too many units in static defenses . . . this game is won by attacking, not defending! But if you have no defense at all, somebody's going to take advantage. A mobile reserve force is one good solution. Be aware of what your enemies have; if the main threat is very slow, you can afford to leave your inner worlds less heavily protected.
- Have fun with misdirection: A fleet of a single ship looks just like a monstrous armada when it shows up on scanners. You can even name it Monstrous Armada if you want to. A slow-moving fleet sent toward a long-range scanner will give your neighbor something to think about for a loooooong time . . .
